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Mathematics of Computation
Journal of the American Mathematical Society
ISSN 1088-6842(e) ISSN 0025-5718(p)
     

The third largest prime divisor of an odd perfect number exceeds one hundred

Author(s): Douglas E. Iannucci.
Journal: Math. Comp. 69 (2000), 867-879.
MSC (1991): Primary 11A25, 11Y70
Posted: May 17, 1999
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Abstract | References | Similar articles | Additional information

Abstract: Let $\sigma(n)$ denote the sum of positive divisors of the natural number $n$. Such a number is said to be perfect if $\sigma(n)=2n$. It is well known that a number is even and perfect if and only if it has the form $2^{p-1} (2^p-1)$ where $2^p-1$ is prime.

It is unknown whether or not odd perfect numbers exist, although many conditions necessary for their existence have been found. For example, Cohen and Hagis have shown that the largest prime divisor of an odd perfect number must exceed $10^6$, and Iannucci showed that the second largest must exceed $10^4$. In this paper, we prove that the third largest prime divisor of an odd perfect number must exceed 100.


References:

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L. Adleman, C. Pomerance, and R. Rumely, On distinguishing prime numbers from composite numbers, Ann. of Math. 117 (1973), 173-206. MR 84e:10008

2.
G. Cohen and P. Hagis, Every odd perfect number has a prime factor which exceeds $10^6$, Research Report R93-5, University of Technology, Sydney, (1993); Math. Comp. 67 (1998), 1323-1330. MR 98k:11002

3.
P. Hagis, On the second largest prime divisor of an odd perfect number, Analytic Number Theory-Lecture Notes in Mathematics, Springer-Verlag, Berlin and New York, 899, 1981, 245-263. MR 83i:10004

4.
P. Hagis, The third largest prime factor of an odd multiperfect number exceeds $100$, Bull. Malaysian Math. Soc. 9 (1986), 43-49. MR 89b:11008

5.
D. Iannucci, The second largest prime divisor of an odd perfect number exceeds ten thousand, to appear in Math. Comp.

6.
P. Montgomery, New solutions of $a^{p-1}\equiv 1$ $(\operatorname{mod}p^2)$, Math. Comp. 61 (1993), 361-363. MR 94d:11003

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C. Pomerance, The second largest prime factor of an odd perfect number, Math. Comp. 29 (1975), 914-921. MR 51:8018


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Additional Information:

Douglas E. Iannucci
Affiliation: University of the Virgin Islands, 2 John Brewers Bay, St. Thomas, VI 00802
Email: diannuc@uvi.edu

DOI: 10.1090/S0025-5718-99-01127-8
PII: S 0025-5718(99)01127-8
Keywords: Perfect numbers, cyclotomic polynomials
Received by editor(s): December 12, 1997
Received by editor(s) in revised form: January 26, 1998 and June 2, 1998
Posted: May 17, 1999
Additional Notes: This paper presents the main result of the author's doctoral dissertation completed at Temple University in 1995 under the direction of Peter Hagis, Jr.
Copyright of article: Copyright 2000, American Mathematical Society


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